Thursday, January 24, 2013

I got an email yesterday encouraging me to shop because: "Studies suggest that this is the year's most depressing week, when winter blues reach a climax". And ya'll that totally makes sense to me. If there was ever a place trying to win at being winter...it's Minneapolis. This past week temperatures have been being a major beotch by topping out at 5 degrees but feeling like -25.

You. Heard. Me.

In the time it takes to walk from my parked car into work my snot has FROZEN in my nose. That is not an exaggeration. It is totally something that can actually happen, and it is also one of the weirdest sensations to experience.

On the news tonight they were talking about how ice sculptors preparing for the St. Paul Winter Fest couldn't use some of their usual techniques to work with the ice because IT'S TOO COLD. As a side note, the Winter Fest is scheduled for this time in the year, because it's historically the coldest. If I was an organizer I'd walk out on stage for the opening ceremony I'm not entirely sure exists and just be like "Nailed it" and the do a mic drop.

But you guys, I really hate to complain. I mean I'm only literally trying to prevent frost bite from being a thing that happens to me...like you would in Siberia, or Antarctica, or I guess somewhere in Alaska...but in LA I hear things have been pretty bad lately too.

This just proves that LA is probably not ever going to my jam.

Awwww that's the cutest little arctic blast I've ever seen in my life. Yesterday morning I walked outside wearing my snow boots rated to -25, tights, pants, a tank top, a sweater, a scarf, my down comforter jacket, gloves, and a hat and I said, and I quote, "Wow it's so warm".

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

"Like right now I wish I could just slow down time, because I'm so not ready for him to grow up yet." - Said the big sister about her little brother on Modern Family

I remember getting the call at school. I was in the third grade and our babysitter was on the phone in the office telling me that my mom had the baby. That it was a boy. Aaron and I were "surprises" - they didn't know what they were having. I'm not even sure that technology was available in the early 80's. With Trevor they found out that they were having a boy but didn't tell us. So of course, I had my heart set on having a baby sister. I was sure of it.

Crushing disappointment. That's what I felt when we hung up the phone. Then I got to the hospital and I sat in the blue chair wearing my pink "big sister" shirt and they handed me this perfect little red headed boy and I could barely hold back the tears from the overwhelming sense of guilt I felt over EVER wanting a sister instead of this amazing little brother.

In my mind we're frozen at 18 and 9, and he's little and cute and sweet. But now he's not so little. He's taller than me, and has been for a few years now. He's still ridiculously cute. Although his babyface is changing, as his Steed beard gene has finally been activated and he has started the growing of the facial hair. Behold:

Sorry Aaronus, you got cropped.

The babyface may be fading away, but he still has some of the softest cheeks in the world. And he still lets me and mom "mooch" on them - with minimal eye rolls.

He's so much cooler than I ever was or will ever be. He's in high demand and generally spends every night out with friends, but every now and then when I'm home visiting he'll indulge me and stay in to watch Duck Dynasty, or work a puzzle. Sometimes we'll even run errands together...IN PUBLIC.

When I was home over Christmas my mom told me that the day they moved me into my dorm room at NC State, after they had gotten back home, Trevor came up to her and said "I never should have gone and laid in Laurie's bed. Her pillow smells like her". That little dude missed me and it melts my heart to hear that, even now, even though I always knew he did.

Today is his 21st birthday. There is no disputing how officially grown up he is. And I'm sad that time has flown by so quickly...and yet, I'm so proud of the man he's become.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Welp it's a good 2 weeks after the new year started so I feel like now is a good time to talk about that. Considering I'm pretty much late for everything I'm basically right on time.

Listen, as far as new years go...I'm kind of stuck in this gray area: so completely ready for 2012 to be over, but no where near ready for 2013 to start. Which doesn't really matter because 2013 is here, and has been for the past 2 weeks, ready or not. And as far as ready goes I'm sort of kinda not really at all.

Most of my hesitation around 2013 revolves around the fact that next month is my birthday. I know it seems odd that I would shy away from a month where I shamelessly get to celebrate myself, but y'all this bday is the big one.

The Dirty 30 is nearly upon us. And by us, I mean me. And I'm not um...handling the idea of that so well.

But don't worry there will plenty of time for me to wallow and try to distract myself with many a shiny thing. I've got something fun planned to start working on when my age starts to fall down the slippery slope next month (ohhhhhhhh foreshadowing!)...so I definitely didn't do resolutions this year. That's nothing unusual because generally I don't like the idea of setting all these crazy goals I will never achieve and trying to change myself into someone I will never be. But like most people I can't resist the fresh feeling that a new year offers. The clean slate...the possibilities...the hope for a better tomorrow.

Or maybe a tomorrow where I hate Comcast a little less than I did yesterday. Or a day where Tweety drives me a little less crazy than he did yesterday...because oh yeah, he moved to Minnesota after Christmas and so far I'm not sure that it wasn't the biggest mistake of my life. Or a day when I blog like I thought I would. Hahahaha. Or maybe a day where I do laundry...and then fold it and put it away THAT SAME DAY. But, judging by the air dried laundry hanging all over my house for the past two days I'm pretty sure we're getting WAY ahead of ourselves with that one.

I have a smallish set of goals I'm working on. We shall see what happens. I'll keep you posted. In the mean time I'm going to say something to you that I'm pretty sure no one said to you today: Happy New Year!

I may be late, but I like to think that my tardiness is at the very least, fashionable.